Indictments Returned in Brighton Hate Crime
Superior Court arraignment will take place tomorrow
BOSTON, August 25, 2021— The man accused of stabbing a rabbi outside a Jewish day school is expected to be arraigned in Suffolk Superior Court tomorrow after a grand jury returned indictments against him, Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins announced.
KHALED AWAD, 24, is expected to be arraigned tomorrow (August 26, 2021) on nine indictments: armed assault with intent to murder, aggravated assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon (knife), assault by means of a dangerous weapon (gun), assault and battery for the purpose of intimidation resulting in bodily injury, violating an individual’s Constitutional rights, two counts of assault by means of a dangerous weapon and two counts of carrying a dangerous weapon on school grounds.
Mr. Awad was previously arraigned in the Brighton Division of Boston Municipal Court in connection with the July 1, 2021, hate crime. A Suffolk County grand jury subsequently returned indictments against him. Tomorrow’s arraignment moves the criminal case against Mr. Awad to Suffolk Superior Court, which is the appropriate court of jurisdiction to address the serious felony offenses alleged in this case.
He is currently held at Bridgewater State Hospital.
“Every person deserves to live without fear as their full authentic selves. It is imperative that we denounce hatred and bigotry in any form and respond clearly and firmly when we encounter it,” District Attorney Rollins said. “Hate has no place in Suffolk County. We will hold violent offenders accountable when they harm. This act of violence nearly killed the victim. But it also traumatized the entire Jewish community and deeply impacted the people of Brighton. I want to thank the Boston Police for responding immediately and deescalating a violent and life-threatening situation.”
Security camera footage captured Mr. Awad approaching the victim, Rabbi Shlomo Noginski on the Jewish day school’s steps as a children’s camp was underway at the location on July 1, 2021. The victim’s style of dress made him identifiable as an Hasidic Jew, and a large menorah on the school’s grounds made clear that the institution was affiliated with Judaism. Mr. Awad allegedly drew a weapon that appeared to be a gun and, through words and gestures, made what the victim interpreted to be a demand for the keys to the school van. When the rabbi, in fear, attempted to hand over the keys, Mr. Awad rejected the keys and instead motioned for the rabbi to enter the van in an apparent attempt to isolate him.
At the same time, Mr. Awad put away the weapon and pulled out a knife. The victim took advantage of that opportunity to flee into a nearby park. Mr. Awad chased after him and attacked him with the knife. In total, the rabbi was stabbed nine times and suffered serious wounds to the upper left chest near his heart and deep lacerations to his left arm, which he had used to shield himself from the violent attack.
Witnesses called 911 and Boston Police officers arrived within minutes. Officers located Mr. Awad in a nearby alleyway. He was armed and brandished a gun at the officers. Boston Police Officers skillfully deescalated the interaction and successfully convinced Mr. Awad to drop his weapon. Mr. Awad was taken into custody with a struggle, but without a single weapon being discharged.
The investigation that followed was conducted by Boston Police Dectectives assigned to District D-14 in Brighton and the Department’s Civil Rights Unit along with the FBI. Detectives located security camera footage from multiple locations as well as body-worn camera footage that captured the attack and the events that followed nearly in their entirety. In addition, a witness captured footage on a cell phone of Mr. Awad behaving suspiciously in the area of the day school a day prior to the attack. Individuals known to Mr. Awad made statements to investigators indicating that Mr. Awad held a hatred of Jewish individuals, providing the required evidence of hateful motive to support charges under the Commonwealth’s hate crime statutes.
The criminal case against Mr. Awad is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Ursula Knight, Chief of District Attorney Rollins’ High Risk Victims Unit, which reviews and prosecutes bias-motivated crimes as well as offenses against elders and individuals with disabilities. Michael Glennon is the assigned victim witness advocate. Mr. Awad is represented by attorney Janice Bassil.
All charged individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins’ office serves the communities of Boston, Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop, Mass. The office handles over 20,000 cases a year. More than 160 attorneys in the office practice in nine district and municipal courts, Suffolk Superior Court, the Massachusetts Appeals Court, the Supreme Judicial Court, and the Boston Juvenile Courts. The office employs some 300 people and offers a wide range of services and programs to serve anyone who comes in contact with the criminal justice system. This office is committed to educating the public about the services we provide, our commitment to crime prevention, and our dedication to keeping the residents of Suffolk County safe.